Chapter 5/? News
After some time spent in that position, I raised myself from the floor and began to look around.
"Sarah's done well for herself." My words echoed in the apartment.
I glanced at the photos in the livingroom. Some were of a couple, blond and brown haired, seeming so much in love. Others were of the Admiral and other JAG staff. But the person who held the most spots on Sarah's walls was Harm, and even in the pictures that included herself, I could see the love between them. Her phone was on the table in the livingroom. I picked it up, and hit speeddial 2.
"Hello?"
"Harm? It's Shannon. I was wondering if you'd like to come over for pizza or something."
"Sure, pizza sounds good. Vegetarian, okay? I'll be there in a few."
"Bye."
I dialed the pizza place and ordered a medium vegetarian pie. It was now 1830 hours. I made the mental calculations as to what time it was back home and decided to call Erin.
"Hello, this is Maria. Who's speaking?"
"Have I ever mentioned to you that you sound more like a secretary than a Marine's wife?"
"Shannon!" she exclaimed.
"Maria!" I mimicked.
"You're not funny."
"Thanks," I said dryly. "Is my favorite girl there?"
"Hold on, I'll get her."
A few moments passed and then I heard, "Mommy?"
"Yes, Erin?"
"I miss you! When you comin' home?"
"I miss you too, sweetie-but I can't come home right now."
"Why?"
"because." the doorbell rang. I got up to get it, thanking God that Sarah had a cordless.
"Because why!?!" yelled Erin. I waved Harm in, and resumed talking.
"Sweetie, I have things that I need to get done here before I can come home. Sort of extended work, okay? I should be home in a few days."
"I miss you."
"I miss you too. Love you."
"Lub you too Mommy. Bye! Call me tomorrow. Bye 'gain!"
"Will do. Bye."
Harm had been listening to my conversation since he walked in the door. He looked at me with a raised eyebrow and asked, "boyfriend?"
"Daughter," I responded. "The pizza should be here in a few minutes."
"Oh. Do you want anything to drink?"
"Sure. What does she have?"
"Let's see." He opened the fridge and looked inside. "Milk, o.j., soda, tea, coffee."
"Does Sarah still like her coffee extra strong?"
"Yeah. It's the bane of the office when she makes the coffee."
"I think I'll have soda instead."
"Sprite okay?"
"Yes, please."
Harm brought out our drinks and two paper plates and we just sorta sat around until the pizza arrived, which, thankfully wasn't that long a wait. As we were eating, the phone rang. I reached over to pick it up.
"Mackenzie residence."
"Shannon? What are you doing in my apartment?"
"Sarah?" harm reached over and put it on speakerphone.
"Listen, I don't have much time. Tell Jr. Flyboy that Ninja's in Bugme territory and needs two star seals to help. He'll know what I -AH!"
Sarah's voice disappeared, but the line didn't disconnect. A male voice, computerized, said "If you want to see Mackenzie again, stay where you are, don't talk to anyone, and wait for my next call. If you continue to follow my instructions, you get your lady back. If you don't, well then." he let his threat hang, and then hung up the phone.
Harm and I just stared at each other.
"What did she mean by the message she gave?" I asked.
"That's easy. Jr. Flyboy is me. Ninja's Mac. Bugme territory is Australia, and two star seals is the Admiral."
"Why do I get the feeling it's more than that?"
"Because it is. But that's another story. We need to get going."
"But didn't you hear the man?"
"Yes, but I don't expect them to call within the next hour or so."
"Where are we going?"
"The Admirals'."
After some time spent in that position, I raised myself from the floor and began to look around.
"Sarah's done well for herself." My words echoed in the apartment.
I glanced at the photos in the livingroom. Some were of a couple, blond and brown haired, seeming so much in love. Others were of the Admiral and other JAG staff. But the person who held the most spots on Sarah's walls was Harm, and even in the pictures that included herself, I could see the love between them. Her phone was on the table in the livingroom. I picked it up, and hit speeddial 2.
"Hello?"
"Harm? It's Shannon. I was wondering if you'd like to come over for pizza or something."
"Sure, pizza sounds good. Vegetarian, okay? I'll be there in a few."
"Bye."
I dialed the pizza place and ordered a medium vegetarian pie. It was now 1830 hours. I made the mental calculations as to what time it was back home and decided to call Erin.
"Hello, this is Maria. Who's speaking?"
"Have I ever mentioned to you that you sound more like a secretary than a Marine's wife?"
"Shannon!" she exclaimed.
"Maria!" I mimicked.
"You're not funny."
"Thanks," I said dryly. "Is my favorite girl there?"
"Hold on, I'll get her."
A few moments passed and then I heard, "Mommy?"
"Yes, Erin?"
"I miss you! When you comin' home?"
"I miss you too, sweetie-but I can't come home right now."
"Why?"
"because." the doorbell rang. I got up to get it, thanking God that Sarah had a cordless.
"Because why!?!" yelled Erin. I waved Harm in, and resumed talking.
"Sweetie, I have things that I need to get done here before I can come home. Sort of extended work, okay? I should be home in a few days."
"I miss you."
"I miss you too. Love you."
"Lub you too Mommy. Bye! Call me tomorrow. Bye 'gain!"
"Will do. Bye."
Harm had been listening to my conversation since he walked in the door. He looked at me with a raised eyebrow and asked, "boyfriend?"
"Daughter," I responded. "The pizza should be here in a few minutes."
"Oh. Do you want anything to drink?"
"Sure. What does she have?"
"Let's see." He opened the fridge and looked inside. "Milk, o.j., soda, tea, coffee."
"Does Sarah still like her coffee extra strong?"
"Yeah. It's the bane of the office when she makes the coffee."
"I think I'll have soda instead."
"Sprite okay?"
"Yes, please."
Harm brought out our drinks and two paper plates and we just sorta sat around until the pizza arrived, which, thankfully wasn't that long a wait. As we were eating, the phone rang. I reached over to pick it up.
"Mackenzie residence."
"Shannon? What are you doing in my apartment?"
"Sarah?" harm reached over and put it on speakerphone.
"Listen, I don't have much time. Tell Jr. Flyboy that Ninja's in Bugme territory and needs two star seals to help. He'll know what I -AH!"
Sarah's voice disappeared, but the line didn't disconnect. A male voice, computerized, said "If you want to see Mackenzie again, stay where you are, don't talk to anyone, and wait for my next call. If you continue to follow my instructions, you get your lady back. If you don't, well then." he let his threat hang, and then hung up the phone.
Harm and I just stared at each other.
"What did she mean by the message she gave?" I asked.
"That's easy. Jr. Flyboy is me. Ninja's Mac. Bugme territory is Australia, and two star seals is the Admiral."
"Why do I get the feeling it's more than that?"
"Because it is. But that's another story. We need to get going."
"But didn't you hear the man?"
"Yes, but I don't expect them to call within the next hour or so."
"Where are we going?"
"The Admirals'."